I am Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy for the Heartland Institute, Senior Advisor for Entitlement Reform and Budget Policy at the National Tax Limitation Foundation, General Counsel for the American Civil Rights Union, and Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis. I served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under President George H.W. Bush. I am a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and the author most recently of America's Ticking Bankruptcy Bomb (New York: Harper Collins, 2011).
I write about new, cutting edge ideas regarding public policy, particularly concerning economics.

Barack Obama's Presidency Is A Complete Failure By His Own, Self-Imposed Standards

At the end of 2013, after serving five years, Barack Obama is a complete failure as President, by his own standards, as reflected in his own words.

How many times has President Obama told us that he is “fighting for the middle class”? But real median family income has been in a continuous downward spiral since he became President, actually falling more since the recession ended in the summer of 2009 according to the National Bureau of Economic Research than during the recession. That has added up by now to the middle class losing a month’s pay a year under President Obama’s economic policies.

If President Obama is “fighting for the middle class,” why doesn’t he approve the Keystone Pipeline? Building and maintaining the pipeline would provide thousands of good paying jobs. So would refining and selling the oil and gas from the Gulf Coast refineries where the pipeline would deliver the Canadian crude. Moreover, that plentiful supply of low cost energy from a long time, reliable ally would support hundreds of thousands if not millions of additional good paying jobs in the American economy.

President Obama is constantly calling for raising taxes to increase government spending to build further infrastructure, with millions of “shovel ready” jobs supposedly waiting for that government rescue. We borrowed hundreds of billions for that in Obama’s 2009 so-called Stimulus bill, but the shovel ready jobs turned out not to be so “shovel ready” he later joked, while the economic suffering continued for millions of Americans.

But with Keystone, we have private investors fully capable of financing the more than ready to go infrastructure project, with their own private investment funds rather than taxpayer dollars. That should be a “no-brainer,” for anyone who is truly “fighting for the middle class.”

Meanwhile, electricity prices are skyrocketing to all-time highs, according to the government’s own official statistics. The Electricity Price Index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics hit an all-time record in November, 20% higher than 6 years ago. That is another loss for the middle class, further reducing real incomes.

That is due to Obama’s runaway overregulation, pursuing the President’s War on Coal, and other manipulative, fairy tale delusions. New EPA regulations will take out 10% of all electricity produced by plentiful, low cost American coal, according to the Institute for Energy Research. As for the dishonest global warming fantasy, relatively soon the period of no global warming, which started 17 years ago, will be longer then the period of actual global warming, which was a natural cycle that lasted only 20 years, from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. That was preceded by about 30 years of global temperature decline, or global cooling.

Those skyrocketing electricity prices are another loss for the poor too. Under the ultraliberal Barack Obama, and his “progressive” Democrats, poverty has soared while he has been President to nearly 50 million Americans, more than at any other time in the more than 50 years that the Census Bureau has been tracking poverty. The poverty rate has also jumped by over 30% to 16.1%, about the same as when the War on Poverty started $5 trillion and almost 50 years ago. We need “progressive” liberal Democrats for this?

Obama has also been the food stamp President, with the number on food stamps increasing during his Administration to an all-time record high of 47.7 million, up 80% over the past 5 years. Contrast that with the Clinton-Gingrich 1996 reform of the old, New Deal, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Under those reforms, the number dependent on the old AFDC program declined by two-thirds. Their incomes from going to work instead were documented to increase by 25%, while saving taxpayers 50% of the cost of old AFDC, compared to prior trends. But today’s “progressive,” Obama/Che Guevara Democrats are not the Kennedy/Clinton Democrats of yore.

Most recently, we have heard President Obama giving speeches bemoaning rising inequality. On December 4, President Obama told the nation that this rising inequality was “the defining challenge of our time.”

Inequality is measured by a statistic called the “Gini Index,” named after an Italian statistician who first wrote about measuring inequality in 1912. The Gini Index for the U.S. is officially published by the Census Bureau. The Index as published by the Census shows inequality sharply accelerating under President Obama, in contrast to greater stability under President Bush.

This follows automatically from the discussion above, with real incomes of the middle class and the poor declining under Obama. In fact, real incomes of the entire bottom 80% have been declining consistently under Obama, because of his poor record of generating economic growth, and any normal recovery from the 2008-2009 recession. Only the incomes of the top 20% have been rising under Obama, as the Fed’s loose monetary policies have juiced the stock market and corporate profits.

This has to be considered a disgrace, that Obama carries on publicly about rising inequality and how that is so important, yet inequality has been precisely accelerating under his own, consistently anti-growth, economic policies, which are precisely crippling the poor and the middle class. But no more of a disgrace than his record on unemployment, which reflects that it has been precisely his own, strongest supporters, particularly blacks, Hispanics, the young, and women, who have suffered the most under Obama’s failed policies.

For President Obama’s entire time in office, 5 years now, blacks have suffered unemployment well into double digits. With “Latino unemployment close behind,” as Obama himself also lamented in his Martin Luther King 50th Anniversary speech last August. Yes, the economy was in recession when President Obama entered office. But under every other President in U.S. history, for well over a century at least, the economy was in a booming recovery within 5 years, even under Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression!

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PETER YOUR LIES NEVER SEEM TO CEASE, YOU WANT YOU TO TELL US WHERE DID THE PRESIDDENT FAIL? THE STOCK MARKET IS FATTER THEN EVER, AND YOUR POCKETS ARE PROBABLY OVERFLOWING WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE MADE OF THE STOCK AND THE KICK BACK BRIBES YOU HAVE TAKEN. ECONOMY IS IMPROVING, HEALTH CARE IS DOING WELL IN WHICH YOU WAS HOPING IT WOULD FAIL WHILE YOU PANDER TO THE RIGHT WING NUTS AND THE REPUBLICANS, WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT OBSTRUCT and COST THIS COUNTRY $24 BILLION DOLLARS, YET IT’S PRESIDENT OBAMA FAULT, THE REPUBLICANS AND RIGHT WING TRIED TO DESTROY THIS COUNTRY, BECAUSE OF THE HATRED OF THE PRESIDENT FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU, THE REPUBLICANS AND RIGHT WING SPEWING AND PACKING.

PETER PRESIDENT OBAMA HAVE DONE MORE FOR THIS COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE IN 4 YEARS THEN ANY OF HIS PREDECESSORS, DID IN 8 YEARS. PETER IF IT WASN’T FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA PULLING THIS COUNTRY BACK UP THE CLIFF, AFTER YOUR REPUBLICANS FRIEND PUSH IT OFF YOU PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE A JOB.

PETER PRESIDENT OBAMA HAVEN’T FAILED YOU OR THIS COUNTRY, YOU FOLKS FAILED THE PRESIDENT. YOU HAVE USED ALL SORTS OF CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, NO PRESIDENT HAVE ENDURE SO MUCH HATE THEN THE HATRED PRESIDENT OBAMA HAVE ENDURE.

WHAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU PETER , YOU FEAR A SMART, INTELLIEGENT BLACK PRESIDENT CAN ACCOMPLISH WHAT HIS WHITE PREDECESSORS COULDN’T ACCOMPLISH, FOLKS LIKE YOU TRY TO STEAL THAT AND DISCREDIT HIM. ANOTHER PROBLEM YOU FOLKS THINK YOU ARE ENTITLE TO THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU ARE WRONG PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS FAMILY HAVE RIGHT TO THE WH, JUST AS HIS PREDECESSORS.

SO PETER GET YOUR FACTS RIGHTS PRESIDENT OBAMA DIDN’T FAIL, YOU PEOPLE FAILED. YOU FOLKS LOVE TO LIE AND BLAME THE PRESIDENT FOR YOUR LACKING.

This and other responses to the indisputable facts in my article revealing President Obama’s gross failures, demonstrated lies, and public manipulation reflect what I have written about democracy failure. Are enough Americans today even capable of self-government? These comments, and Frank Schaeffer’s public nervous breakdown, make that an open question.

Apparently, not having an election going your way, getting called out on your lies and public opinion going against the reality you are trying to create constitutes a failure of democracy for the lying think tank leeches.

“If President Obama is “fighting for the middle class,” why doesn’t he approve the Keystone Pipeline? Building and maintaining the pipeline would provide thousands of good paying jobs.”

If the total number of jobs even passed a thousand, they would be short term jobs that ended as soon as construction was complete. The actual number of permanent jobs would be negligible.

“As for the dishonest global warming fantasy, relatively soon the period of no global warming, which started 17 years ago, will be longer then the period of actual global warming, which was a natural cycle that lasted only 20 years, from the late 1970s to the late 1980s.”

This is a blatant lie fabricated by you and your cronies at the Heartland Institute as part of your lying propaganda campaign for the fossil fuel companies.

I could go on. The whole thing is just a well crafted collection of lies and distortions from a professional liar. I do admit, you are a master of your craft. That was a very well done piece of lying propaganda.

Peter I fear you are dealing now with the rabid, ignorant socialist faction in America that are ill equipped to sort fact from fiction. They believe in a free lunch and that the 1 per centers have unlimited wealth that came out of thin air, they will never need to work again if they can just steal that money. We have been completely successful in restoring ignorance and superstition in America. Hence I am fearful that we cant overcome the Big Lie being used to undermine the fabric of a once great Democracy in time. We are on the verge of the slippery slope leading to the abyss of Nazism and all the evil that goes with it.

Hey Ferrara! Where is your clown makeup? Let me know when you buy property along the proposed route of the Keystone Pipeline and maybe we can have a discussion. Until then maybe you can share with us who pads your wallet. Or you can explain how conservatives change the conversation to issues of homosexuality and abortion when people want jobs.

Mr. Bugger, Please enlighten us as to what your wisdom regarding the number of jobs that would be created by the Keystone Pipeline is based on? Also, you repeatedly accuse me of being a liar with no documentation. My question to you is, have you graduated from grade school?

Searchfortruth, I can disclose here the answer to your brilliant question, “Where is your clown makeup?” The answer is you stole it. As for who pads my wallet, that is none of your business, but my affiliations are listed accompanying all my columns on this site. Now who pads your wallet?

The 17 years and 6 months of no global warming is an established fact based on official US satellite data, and so is not a point over which reasonable people can differ. See my recent article posted on Forbes explaining that in more detail. Your comment about the number of jobs that would be produced by the Keystone Pipeline is further evidence raising doubts about our continued ability for self-government. But I think those doubts are going to be entirely dispelled this year.

Ah but the “best” is yet to come. Wait and see the harm to the economy when all those families who decide to sign up for the new policies offered by either the exchanges or by their existing insurance company have little or no discretionary income to spend in 2014. We will see new round of going out of business sales in the commercial sector-restaurants, department stores and those who provide services to households. Look around your community. How many businesses have gone under during the last five years. The economy simply cannot thrive with so many people having a busted household budget as a direct result of Obamacare.

This is a strongly biased assessment of an institution called The Presidency at a particular time (vaguely and insufficiently defined in this write -up). Any balanced assessment should include not just the internal and external achievements (no matter how mild) of Obama´s presidency so far (mark you his presidency is yet to finish). It should also include the staunch opposition at the main economic and social projects put foreward by the government. The opposition designed, orchestrated and reckless government shutdown hurt the American economy and society more than any other thing. The heavily tilted nature of the article seems intended to feed opposition political gimmick that defend the interest of the few. The question is democracy the classical Schumpetarian type of selection of the most powerful who rise to power to defend the interest of the closed up political class than that of the people?

HK, The House Republican majority was elected to shut down Obama’s runaway spending deficits and debt, which it largely has. The government shutdown, a project of President Obama, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, had no negative effect on the economy at all. Please don’t just repeat New York Times Marxist talking points here, they are not welcome.

Fewer Americans are capable of self-government today, as the Obama Administration and Liberal Congress have made them dependent on government handouts. If the same money invested into additional Food Stamps, and unemployment benefits had been invested into job creating industries such as the Keystone Pipeline, we might begin to see an improved economy. More taxpayers mean more taxpayer dollars – it’s that simple, folks. However, why should Americans work when they can earn more pay and benefits by staying home? Because of President Obama’s extravagant spending, and lack of foresight, Congress now wants to start taking money from military retirees (like myself) to help pay for Obama’s years of squandering taxpayer dollars. Bravo, Peter, once again you have illuminated the public on the failures of our country’s current leadership. Maybe, in 2014, we will begin to see America restored to its former glory. If not, the U.S. will experience two more years of economic, political, and social erosion. It’s my hope the overwhelming majority of American taxpayers will vote their conscience and their wallet in the upcoming elections. I know I will!

The greatest lesson that we have learned form Mr. Obama’s tenure is that Democracy is based on the flawed assumption that the public is informed and understands the problems on which they are voting. Realizing that the black community has suffered far worse than any other demographic and given how badly Mr. Obama has lied repeatedly to the public, one can see the flaw in this assumption by the 85% approval rating and the 82% rating of truthfulness given to Mr. Obama by the black community. If it wasn’t for the blind, ignorant support by the black community, Mr. Obama’s approval rating would be closer to 30% than where it is now. What is even more mystifying is the continued blind support of failed Obama policies by much of the mainstream press to the point of defending Mr. Obama for Benghazi, Fast and Furious, the IRS and other scandals where the use of pretzel logic as a defense has become the norm. This is the same press that is actually defending Mr. Obama’s violating the Constitution by running the government by edict instead of the normal law making process. Between the dishonesty of the press and so much of the public evaluating Mr. Obama solely on the color of his skin, democracy has failed us over the last 5 years.

I sadly concur with your assessment of President Obama’s reign. Yes, I mean reign. Most Americans are blissfully uninformed. If more Americans were informed, the government knows that it would actually have to be accountable for its actions. No worries. Won’t happen.

The color of one’s skin is not the measurement of a person. Educated and informed Americans expect more than just rhetoric yet expect nothing but rhetoric because it is tolerated by the masses and President Obama and his party are experts at appealing to the masses. Sadly, their strategy has worked effectively for the past four years and will continue to win votes among the masses who are only too happy to jump on any bandwagon that offers them excuses and an alternative means of living.

Republicans are no better because they are out numbered and must capitulate to the Democrats. As much as the masses profess to hate the conservatives, when they finally discover that their own pockets are affected by the unilateral policies of the Democratic party, there is a cry so loud across the country that even the Democrats must admit that mistakes have been made and changes are required.

Such is the game of politics. Such is the obvious consequence of blissful ignorance.

You are right about: “Obama Presidency is a complete failure…” But additional TRUTH are: 1- 10 times WORSE than Obam Dems are Republican lunatics 2- USA is under attack by a True Parasitic Enemy within, which Wall Street parasite Armed with Trillions of Dollars is preventing any Good being done for American people

After all, Consider these FACTS:

Republican lunatics, FRAUD Obama Democrats, and the Wall Street owned Media/Cabal behind them, fully know that Government run Universal Socialized Single payer Health care (NHS) is the only way to run the Health Care of a Country, given the facts that:

1- Their beloved Israel has NHS. 2- Their beloved Margaret Thatchers Conservative party in UK has NHS. 3- In fact all Conservative parties in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, etc. are all 100% for their NHS. 4- The Ultra Right-Wing Heritage Foundation, who is the brain behind Republican lunatics and ObamaCare, lists on their Web site as the Top 10 Most Free countries, countries whom all have NHS and even those that have Single Payer NHS such as Australia, here: http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking

Yet given these FACTS Obama Admin passed a health care plan proposed by Ultra Right-Wing Heritage Foundation! A health care plan that is such a JOKE that 4 freaking years after its passage has made NO real improvement in the bankrupting system that is US health care for too many Americans because it is a health care system run by for-profit Wall Street companies.

And TEApublicans & right-wing Media, in proving what utter complete lunatics or WORSE they are, they spend from 2009 until now running against this plan, calling it ObamaCare, might as well call it HusseinCare, when this plan that Obama passed is a watered down version of what they had proposed which became RomneyCare, when it is the EXACT OPPOSITE of Government run Universal Socialized Single Payer health care and that is why ObamaCare was and will be a failure.

And all this lying to deny American People same Single Payer NHS that they have in all developed Nations for why?

So that Wall Street Cabal can make an extra $1-Trillion per Year off the back of the American People from health care, Damn be how many Millions of Americans these lies, this lack of NHS, will kill or bankrupt per Year. And other even more EVIL reasons.

The countries you cite also require their citizens to hand over more than 50% of their income to the government. Their hospitals have wards-no private or semi-private rooms. Wait times for operations and appointments with specialists are long. Death rates from the common ailment killers are higher than the Us. I suggest you move to one of these nations. Cheers.

Single payer is jargon. Translated into English, it means “government monopoly. What good or service has ever been provided well by a government monopoly? People harshly oppose “single payer” because they know they can’t get good health care from the Post Office. The countries you mention all use “single payer” to deny their citizens health care, because they think that lower health costs improve the economy. It only works politically because the sick are not good public advocates from their death beds, and they are soon gone anyway.

Obama has been a total lie since before he was elected President. A whole lie was built around Obama in order to get him elected. Many Republicans were part of that conspiracy in part because they were obsessed with getting a black elected to the Presidency so they could shed the albatross of political racism. unfortunately there were much more qualified Blacks available that would have made great Presidents. Instead they picked a socialist, loser named Obama. Why? That’s a mystery that will hopefully be revealed to us someday.

I agree except for the risk of Iran having the bomb, and thank Mr. Fererra for making the case for Obama being a huge failure. This seems obvious but for most of the media, they ignore it, report excuses and blame Bush or the GOP.

I don’t fear Iran using the bomb because they know they’ll likely die. And there are too many in Iran who’d stop/sabotoge the ability to deliver a missile. And even if they gave a bomb to a terrorist group, the material can be traced back to where it was manufactured in Iran. All the bomb does is give Iran a defense against the US military.

If Obama wants a distracting war, one with Iran would do it. That to me is a greater risk than Iran getting the bomb, and a worse failure I’m not defending Obama’s foreign policy, his actions have led to a less free world, and less safety for the US, and are a failure as well.

I see you have gone full Neocon, Mr. Ferrara, grandstanding against Obama from one side of your mouth while cheerleading for tax hikes, increased spending, and putting being “wise” and elections above conservative principles. Maybe readers here would like to hear from that side of your mouth:

http://spectator.org/articles/57168/two-and-half-cheers-ryan-murray

When did they approach you and convince you of these ideas? Which ones have you been talking to? Did they tell you that you are special but the average American is dumb and uninterested, so you have to use deceptive tactics to get them to do the just thing? Please don’t insult our intelligence by denying it. You even talk like them. Two and a half cheers is a sly reference to Neocon Irving Kristol’s famous “Two Cheers for Capitalism,” which was a backhand at free market capitalism. Who are you now?

Wendy, Please read that article you cite with the understanding that everything I say there is true. I am the one that approaches everyone else in Washington with ideas, for precisely much smaller government. And I have had some successes over the years. And I think more and bigger successes than ever are on the way within a few years. So slow down and read more carefully. What I say in that article is good strategy for what you believe in. I have devoted my whole life to fighting for precisely the same causes you believe in.

Wendy, Let me add that I think that Ryan got the best he could out of that deal, and it would not have helped us to take our demands to another government shutdown. You may think that Ryan and I have not been effective enough in reducing the unjustifiable burdens and demands of government. But I could respond, what have you and your colleagues succeeded in cutting, and what is your strategy for doing more? I would suggest that maybe we have already done better than you have, and have better ideas for doing more.

“Reagan explicitly left Keynesian economics for dead over 30 years ago.” Whatever Reagan said, his deficit spending pushed the economy faster, and left the next generation to pay off the debts: exactly what both Keynesians and real fiscal conservatives would both expect. And Obama’s first stimulus, when you add that increase to the reduction in state spending, you find that state and federal spending (with the stimulus) held steady — so the Keynesians would say that we averted disaster of running a reverse-Keynesian stimulus during the Recession, but we sure didn’t *test* a Keynesian solution. A generation ago liberals discovered run-away magic-thinking spending — we could end poverty without paying for it, they saw what they wanted to see instead of looking at the evidence. Now “conservatives” are following the same path, making up fictions about Keynes’ ideas because Keynesians found that the world worked in ways that we wish it didn’t. You’re supposed to fit your theories to the evidence, not the other way around.

Keynes has been thoroughly refuted for the reasons I explained, and that is no longer an issue over which reasonable people can differ. The Reagan boom was entirely due to the incentives for supply side economics, which actually was the dominant force behind American economic success for the entire 20th century. See 1920s, 1930s, and 1982 to 2007. It wasn’t Keynesian deficits because such deficits by themselves have never otherwise produced any growth. To the contrary, they are a drag on the economy.

Wow. Imagine that, Peter. A Forbes writer being a partial truth teller. When you tell the story, omitting most of the actual facts, it does sound bad. Just like if you were to talk about the old testament with all of the terrible parts, it sounds pretty bad. Or, conversely you can tell only the good parts, and it seems pretty good. Even more, if you tell the whole story, it doesn’t make a darn difference, as it’s all just a dog and pony show. Your article is stupid, your lies are ridiculous(partial truths are often more insidious than falsehoods, particularly in this case, as are all political regurgitations), and are based on nothing more than your idiotic, one sided falsehoods based on “statistics” that you don’t even cite sources for, nor tell the other side of the 7 million people that have signed up for the Affordable Health Care Act. From what I’ve seen, these “horror stories” we’ve all heard about “Obamacare” are half-baked lies, as they don’t check out and only come from one “News Source.” I think we all know which one. You sir, are part of the problem in this country. Please continue to spread your hate, lies and discontent for your fellow humans, and see where that gets your oligarchs. I don’t think you nor your puppeteers will like where this is headed. Perhaps you should study history and at least get a little glimpse of what’s coming if we as a country continue down this path. Regardless of whether you like it or not, inequality is a tangible thing, and if gone unnoticed for too long, there are dire consequences. Just like with ALL people, “In fiction: we find the predictable boring. In real life: we find the unpredictable terrifying.” Look at history and inequality. This little correlation between the two should scare you as a “in the box thinker.” Good luck with that.

What do you mean he is a failure? He has achieved everything he has set out to do. Not to be confused with what he said he wanted to achieve. He said he wanted to change, remake America. In order to do so he must first destroy the American middle class, install hopelessness in to Americans. Then he could rebuild America into a commits country – he is succeeding. Your perspective on what is success is all wrong, you must think interns of Obama’s goals not the American hopes, dreams and goals.

Funny, you’re hopeless because you listen to propagandist who want you to be hopeless to vote for them. I’m doing great, good private sector job now for 22 years, good life, great husband (Thanks for that Joe Biden!) A bunch of nieces and nephews and their kids, growing up in the great state of California happy and healthy. I was taught, if you are miserable, it’s probably your own fault. Some hate Obama so much that bad taste in your mouth, is the taste of hate, not America.

Interesting how people’s comments are collapsed and hidden, and funny that at the bottom of your extremely conservative article which defends coal emissions, is a Forbes link to “Top Recommended SUVs” (which are known for their well above average carbon emissions). The US has 5% of the world’s population and 17.33% of the world’s carbon emissions (as of 2012). Coal by far is the biggest contributor to our carbon emissions, yet you wanna complain about Obama’s policies effecting 10% of coal’s electricity production? In the last ten years, alternative clean energy (especially solar and wind energy) has proven itself to be much less expensive and much more viable then people previously anticipated, and this upwards trend will only continue rising with further innovations… If you still wanna hold onto coal (and people’s investments in it) for dear life and mourn 10% less coal powered electricity, and refer to global warming as “a fantasy”, I will have to respectfully say your perspective on climate change is regressive rather than progressive, and articles like this are only to the world’s detriment because there are people who actually swallow this kind of ultra conservative rhetoric.

OMG!!! All this reminds me so much of the book I recently started to read (the five oddities of the obama presidency) . I was actually trying to find some more data,trying to help a friend on a college project. This is pretty good stuff. Between this and the book, got some good info. Thanks

Not a very convincing argument Peter. You’ve taken the same worn out rhetoric and conjecture spewed on wingnut outlets like Faux Noise and put them here. If the pipeline is built will you still shake your Keystone XL pom poms when the inevitable ecological disaster strikes or will you just blame President Obama for that too? I, like searchfortruth, want to know when you buy property along that pipeline.

If Obama were as incompetent as you say, why is the economy growing rather than sliding further into recession?

Yes, the jobs aren’t back because times have changed. In previous recessions there was no China as a giant manufacturing centre. Today, China has emerged as a manufacturing giant. American companies have shipped most manufacturing jobs to China in a bid to take advantage of cheap labour. How can you ignore this fact whilst expecting jobs to bounce back as it did in other pre-China era recessions?

You think Affordable Care Act is a failure? I’ll rather go with the available data out there on this one.

And in all these failures no mention was made of the Republican opposition in Congress? The last Republican govt inherited a booming economy and left a recession. The present Democratic govt inherited a recession and in spite of determined Republican opposition to all policies and appointments and the rise of China, this govt has managed to eke out a recovery. Yet, your verdict is that this govt is a failed govt. I wonder why your beloved Republicans didn’t give you all those fantastic growth rates when they had eight years at the saddle.

My verdict, Obama has succeeded under unfavourable conditions. Yes, his promises have not all been delivered but, much more would have been achieved with a more co-operative opposition.

I’m looking for a balanced opinion of Obama, an article that at the same time praises his successes and critiques his failures. But every article I read so far is one-sided. Even if it tries to appear balanced it is one-sided in tone. What is wrong with yo all?

Johnny, it’s called Obama Derangement Syndrome. There really isn’t a left and right, there are those who are easily manipulated by propaganda and everyone else. We just call everyone else moderates and liberals.

Notice how this author only “Calls-out” himself? A symptom of the Syndrome.

Let’s not forget, “income taxes” only pay on the interest of the national debt, they do not pay for government infrastructure or anything else. Raising the debt ceiling is just a government slush fund.

Excise taxes on gasoline pay for infrastructure. Hidden excise taxes on food products support the Dept. of Agriculture programs. Excise taxes on tobacco go to regulate the tobacco industry, to pay for cancer research programs, and to subsidize oncology. Everything we purchase has hidden excise taxes that pay for all these things.

Again, raising he debt ceiling is simply an increase in the government slush fund. “Income taxes” are a legalized form of extortion granted to a private company (that is not part of the Dept. of Treasury, nor related in any way to it) called the Internal Revenue Service which is domiciled in Puerto Rico – talk about the RICO act. Investigate special trust fund 62 (or 61) in Puerto Rico to discover where all the money goes that the IRS extortion racket steals annually.

PROBLEM is IF you believe that HE really wanted to be a good president then yes THIS is true HOWEVER if you believe he is a HIGHLY educated intelligent agent provocateur you will realize he has done all he needed to do to gain the position he needed to destabilize and destroy the USA from withing